Helen Keller said – “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
Building a great team is one of the most important things a leader can do. It starts with selecting people with the right expertise who are great communicators and can accept feedback. Each team member should be clear on the team’s goals, their role in achieving these goals and how these goals will help the organisation achieve its vision. To work together synergistically, team members need to be committed to respect each other and to have a genuine desire to see each other succeed.
Leaders play a vital role in building their teams by setting clear expectations around how members are to work together. They can lead the team in collectively developing a team charter that outlines goals, roles and responsibilities as well as the expectations they have of each other. Leaders should treat each member of the team as an individual, understanding their motivators as well as what detracts from them delivering their best work. They should identify each team member’s strengths and ensure that they are in roles that allow them to both develop and use these strengths.
Team members should be encouraged to share their ideas and, wherever practicable, empowered to implement these ideas, if even for a short trial period to test their validity. Leaders also have a key role to play in ensuring that success is recognised and celebrated.
This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 3 May 2022
